How nice would it be to give a gift that is personal, creative, thoughtful and timeless and is available in all prices, types and sizes? Consider the gift of art.
When I work with clients, I talk about and look through images of different types and genres of artworks with them, to see what they respond to. I look around their homes, at their furnishings and personal style. That’s something you can do for the people on your list. Think about their homes and offices, what they have on the walls, or type of furnishings they have. Let that be a guide.
Think about who you are buying for.
Do they like color? Is it in their home? Do they wear it? I have written about artist Kerri Rosenthal’s happy art and the wonderful positive feelings she puts into creating it. My clients who like her work and have brought it into their home respond to the bright color and energy.
When Kerri started painting, she drew upon her background working for the Dutch apparel company, Oilily, and painted tulips, it was a natural for her and has become a staple in her collections. She has just introduced Bite Size, tulips in multiples, layered and each creating it's own color story. Here is a brief look with more to come in Spring 2015. Small tulips, above, are 12”squares Small Bites No.3 is 20"x20"
and One Million Tulips, 60"x60"
Do they like animals? Many people respond to images of animals, and horses are possibly the most popular. It may seem as though it’s been a recent trend, but the love of animals is age-old and perhaps a reflection of our interest in and protection of our own families. Holiday is a great time to reflect this in our gift-giving. Photographer Shelli Breidenbach, is world renowned for her horse photography. In her collections are a variety of images, Athos and Gambler
or a beautiful close-up 
Do they like nature, being outdoors? A trend I have noticed, is an increasing interest in abstract landscape and seascape photography. The beauty of nature, the quiet of the ocean, a farm or field, the serenity of the colors and the horizon take many of us to a special place. These images evoke memories of time spent with family and friends. Photographer Stefan Radtke has created a collection of Atmospheric Landscapes. It is especially nice that he photographs on the LI Sound, making his work appealing for Westchester and CT residents who can relate to the locales. Moved #6
He “creates painting inspired photographs of landscapes, devoid of detail, capturing an atmosphere rather than an explicit reality and opening for the viewer the possibility for interpretation.” Moved #10, in a beautifully composed vignette at Nest Inspired Home in Rye, NY
For artist Andrea Bonfils, “Most of my artwork has a connection to nature and my interactions with it. I like for there to be a sense of joy or emotion similar to what I was recalling when painting.” A recurring subject is moons, the round sphere appears in many of her paintings and prints. As with photography, prints can be a more affordable gift, purchased either framed or unframed. Pink Leaves Orbit
or Pink Moon, reflecting a nighttime view through the trees
Do they travel? Kit Kittle’s Bubble Collection is fun because the images take you around the world via his views through a bubble. This photograph was taken in the Gulf of Thailand where “islands leap straight-up from the clear turquoise water.”
or be transported to Laos, and this incredibly colored yellow bubble
Do they like abstract art? That may be a difficult question to answer. Many abstract artists paint their interpretation of what they see, a landscape, seascape, portrait or even a still life. The response to abstract artwork is elusive, it may be a response to the color, form, shapes or combination of all. Claudia Mengel’s “work comes from not looking, but experiencing the world around me, and then translating these visual and emotional perceptions.”
The beauty of Claudia’s work is enhanced by her exceptional use of color, as seen in this large-scale painting, Heartbeat, which is 72"x60"
Where have your friends lived? I often get requests for images of New York City. For people who either live in or have left the city, it’s fun to have a photo that recalls a favorite spot. I like the abstracted images of New York, you feel the energy, see the lights, the cabs. Barbara Erdmann looks for interesting graphic patterns in her photos, like Urbane
or City Cab by Kit Kittle
Why not give a gift certificate? Take the guesswork out of selecting the gift of art, a gift certificate can be used towards the purchase of any piece.
As the holiday season begins, I hope these suggestions inspired some thoughts of gift ideas, fine art that can be personalized for the people and spaces in your life… or consider treating yourself!
Give the Gift of Art. Timeless.
